


We Make A Good Team

by Onthecyberseas



Category: Black Lightning (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, F/F, Season/Series 01, Superpowers, Team Up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-21 08:51:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17040632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onthecyberseas/pseuds/Onthecyberseas
Summary: As she discovers her powers, Anissa meets and teams up with another new vigilante in Freeland.





	We Make A Good Team

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Holidays, marvel-danvers! I hope you like your gift.

The streets of Freeland were uncharacteristically quiet as Anissa walked through them. Though there was always a potential threat waiting behind a corner, she wasn’t afraid in the slightest. After all, Anissa had recently discovered that she had abilities that she had never thought she was capable of previously. They had manifested a couple of nights ago as she had been gripping her bathroom sink. The next night, she had stopped a robbery of a drug store without barely lifting a finger. She didn’t understand how she had been able to do those things, but some experimenting had revealed that controlling her breathing could give her a strength she had never thought possible.

To say that Anissa had been shocked by the revelation was an understatement. She had grown up hearing stories about Black Lightning and had seen him first hand when he had rescued her and her sister Jennifer from the 100 gang, but she never thought that she would be capable of having powers as well. She couldn’t tell her family what was going on with her, as they would have no understanding of what it was like to live with powers. Though Anissa was incredibly shocked, she wasn’t afraid of her powers and what they meant. In fact, she had been working in an abandoned lot to try and control her powers as well as test the limits of what she could do.

The idea of becoming a superhero excited her, as she had always believed in the importance of helping her people. She adjusted the makeshift uniform she had created for herself, complete with a blonde wig. Her costume wasn’t as sleek as Black Lightning’s, but it was good enough until she could get enough money to buy the materials to work on an upgraded one. However, she knew she needed practice even more than a new suit, and the only way she would get it was to practice protecting the streets of Freeland.

Unfortunately, the 100 Gang seemed to have taken the night off and there appeared to be no crimes to stop at the moment. Anissa sighed, but kept walking down the street despite her disappointment. There had to be someone who needed help, it was Freeland after all.

Her patience was thankfully rewarded moments later when she found an attempted mugging in progress down in an alleyway by the Freeland Community Center. Unfortunately, someone had already beat her there. A strikingly beautiful Asian woman clad in a red tank top and green pants was giving the group of gang members all they could handle. Anissa admired the way the woman looked as she fought, graceful and effortless. She remembered seeing the woman on the news last week, after she had stopped a bank robbery singlehandedly, but she was even more gorgeous in person. Despite not wearing a mask, nobody seemed to know the woman’s true identity. Anissa couldn’t understand why, as she believed she would be able to recognize her face anywhere.

The woman locked eyes with Anissa and gave her a questioning look. Anissa snapped out of her trance and jumped into the fray, throwing the men back easily with her powers. The woman looked shocked at the turn of events, but helped Anissa take out the criminals with ease. A couple of punches and the group was finally unconscious. The young woman who they had targeted gave her thanks to Anissa and the other vigilante before running away, clutching her purse tightly to her chest.

“I could have handled that, you know,” the woman said to her. 

Anissa turned her eyes to the mysterious vigilante and nodded. “I know, I just figured I’d help out.”

The woman stared at her, as though she was questioning what to make of her. “Thank you,” she said after a couple of moments. “I haven’t seen you around here before.”

“I’m new,” Anissa replied with a smile. “Just like you.” The woman didn’t reply, and Anissa added, “We make a good team.”

Smiling, the woman held out her hand. “I guess you’re right. Nice to meet you, I’m Grace.”

The name suited her, Anissa thought to herself as she shook Grace’s hand. “Anissa.”

“Can I interest you in some drinks?” Grace asked. “I know a good bar around here.”

Though Anissa wanted to keep searching the streets of Freeland, she couldn’t pass up an opportunity to spend more time with the woman who captivated her. “I’d love to,” Anissa said, smiling brightly. She gestured out of the alleyway towards the street and said, “After you, gorgeous.”

Anissa could see a slight blush appear on Grace’s cheeks, but Grace didn’t say anything as she walked out of the alleyway. After following her, Anissa and Grace walked through the streets and toward a bar that Anissa frequented. “I love this place!” Anissa exclaimed excitedly. It was a great place to let loose, have a few drinks, and dance the night away, though she hadn’t been there in the past few weeks, she had been far too busy to go.

Grace nodded and said, “Me too. My shift starts soon.”

“You work here?” Anissa asked. “Why haven’t I seen you before?”

Grace explained, “I just moved to Freeland. I tend bar here in the nights and work at the bookstore during the day.”

Anissa smiled brightly. “When you’re not fighting crime.”

“Being a superhero doesn’t pay the bills,” Grace explained.

Nodding in agreement, Anissa said, “Welcome to Freeland.”

Grace’s smile was warm and inviting, and Anissa’s heart raced as she was transfixed. “Thank you,” Grace said. “Grab a seat at the bar and I’ll take care of you once I’ve changed.”

“Sounds good,” Anissa said, pulling off her wig before stepping into the bar. She took a seat at the bar and waved at a couple of other regulars she recognized. She saw Chenoa looking sadly at her from the one side of the bar, but Anissa didn’t approach her as she sat down at the other side. She knew their recent breakup was hard on Chenoa, but she knew it was for the best. After all, her mother had been right in her insistence that Chenoa was more into her than she was into Chenoa.

“What can I get you, Anissa?” Grace voice stirred her out of her thoughts. Turning around, Anissa saw that Grace had changed into a different outfit with glasses resting on her face. As beautiful as Grace looked without the glasses, the glasses were cute as well.

Anissa placed her order and asked, “Do you need the glasses?”

Grace shook her head. “They’re an attempt to disguise myself.”

“Do they actually work?” Anissa asked skeptically.

Grace shrugged in response. “So far, yes.” She made Anissa’s drink and placed it in front of her. “You look even more gorgeous without the wig, not that you looked bad without it.”

Blushing, Anissa said thank you as she picked up the glass. After taking a sip, Anissa asked, “So what’s your story, Grace?” She noticed Chenoa staring at them from the other side of the bar but decided that it was best to ignore her.

Grace tensed up at the question. “You first.”

Anissa took a deep breath and told her about how her powers had manifested one night, her experimentation to discover how to control them, and her decision to use her powers for good. Though she wondered if she should be revealing so much about herself and her abilities in the crowded bar, she figured that the bar was too loud for anyone to eavesdrop and Grace seemed trustworthy to keep her secrets, as she presumed they were in a similar situation. As she finished her story, she said, “Your turn.”

“Well,” Grace said, “I moved to Freeland to get away from my family. I’ve always been stronger than most people, and when I stopped the robbery last week I felt like I could be doing more to help Freeland.”

Anissa nodded in agreement. “Freeland definitely needs help.” She finished her drink as the DJ began playing one of her favorite songs. “Dance with me?”

Grace considered the proposition for a couple of moments and finally said, “I’d love to.”

Anissa led her to the dance floor, and they moved together effortlessly to the beat of the song. Though she saw Chenoa storm out of the bar out of the corner of her eye, Anissa found that she didn’t care as she felt comfortable with Grace’s arms around her.

The moment didn’t last too long, as the sounds of gunshots and people’s screams filled the air. Anissa whirled around to see a couple members of the 100 gang step into the bar. She shared a look with Grace before they leapt into action, moving towards the gun-toting criminals. They shot at them, but the bullets easily bounced off of them as they continued their approach.

Anissa grabbed one of them and Grace grabbed the other before they dragged them out of the bar. “Leave,” Anissa commanded once they were outside.

The gang member laughed in her face. “Make me.”

She looked over at Grace, and the two shared a knowing look. “Okay,” Grace said as they began punching the two men. One of them attempted to shoot another bullet at them, but it was deflected easily. Anissa knocked the guns out of their hands and threw them back as she stomped the ground.

The two gang members ran away with their metaphorical tails between their legs. Anissa and Grace looked at each other in triumph. “You’re right,” Grace said, “We make a good team.”

“Told you,” Anissa replied with a grin. She looked around and found the streets of Freeland to be relatively quiet after their recent disturbance. “So, where to now?”

Grace frowned. “My shift isn’t over yet. I’m sorry.”

Anissa was slightly disappointed but nodded in understanding. “I should get home anyway,” she said. Though she wanted to spend more time with Grace, the lack of sleep was starting to get to her. Holding her hand out she said, “It was nice meeting you, Grace. Do you have a phone number?”

“Of course.” Grace nodded and Anissa handed over her phone. After loading her number into her contacts, Grace handed Anissa her phone back and they said goodbye before going their separate ways.

Anissa snuck into the Pierce household, trying not to wake any of her family who were most likely sleeping. She couldn’t stop grinning as she got ready for bed, her mind drifting back to her evening with Grace. Her mind filled with dreams of her as she fell asleep, some of them tame and some of them not-so-tame.

She woke up feeling refreshed and greeted her family with a big smile as she walked down the stairs. Her father and mother seemed preoccupied with something, but her sister was looking curiously at her. After breakfast, Anissa found Jennifer sitting on her bed. “Spill, Harriet.”

“Spill what?” Anissa asked hesitantly, wondering what Jennifer knew about her abilities. She had tried to hide it from her family, but perhaps she hadn’t been as secretive as she hoped.

Jennifer smiled, “Who or what is making you smile like you just won the lottery?”

Anissa breathed a sigh of relief, glad that Jennifer didn’t seem to know her secret after all. “I may have met someone last night.”

Jennifer’s eyes lit up. “Who is it?”

“She’s a bartender,” Anissa explained, omitting any information about how they met or anything else about her powers. “Her name is Grace.”

“Did you get her number?” Jennifer asked.

Anissa nodded. “I don’t know if I should call her though.” Despite the fun she had with Grace last night and the fact that Grace had given her a number, Anissa wondered if their night should be a one-time thing.

Jennifer rolled her eyes at her. “She gave you her number, didn’t she?” Anissa nodded and Jennifer said, “Then call her. You deserve to be happy, Harriet.”

Anissa rolled her eyes at the continued use of the ‘Harriet’ nickname, but she appreciated the sentiment at Jennifer’s words. “I guess you’re right,” Anissa said, “Thanks, Jenn.”

She pulled out her phone to call Grace, but a better idea crossed her mind. She had about an hour before she had to be at Garfield, and she remembered Grace had mentioned working at the bookstore during the daytime. She had been meaning to go over to the bookstore to pick up some books on genetic mutation, hoping she could find some answers on her strange, yet wonderful condition. Now she had even more reason to go over to the store.

After saying goodbye to her family as they headed out for the day, Anissa walked over to the bookstore a couple of blocks away. A bell lightly rang as she opened the door and she stepped inside the shop. Looking around, she was pleased when she saw Grace sitting at the counter. She smiled at seeing that Grace was wearing her glasses on her face as she read a book that seemed engrossing from Grace’s expression.

Anissa stepped forward and lightly cleared her throat to get Grace’s attention. Grace looked up and jumped at the sight of her. Anissa noticed the slight bags under her eyes from all of the work, professional and vigilante, that she had been doing, but Grace still looked beautiful. “I was looking for some books on genetic mutation and this cute girl that told me works here. Can you help me?”

Grace blushed and said, “I think I can help you.” She stood up and led Anissa to the back of the bookstore, stopping at the science section. “There should be some potential books here, though I don’t know if anything contains what you’re looking for.” Grace gave her a knowing look, and Anissa knelt down to look at a couple of the books. After picking a couple of potential books from the shelves with Grace’s help, they returned back to the counter.

After Anissa paid for the books, she thanked Grace and asked, “Now about the second thing I was looking for?”

“Are you free this weekend?” Grace asked. “We can meet at the diner by the church on Saturday, walk around Freeland, see what comes up from there.” She leaned forward and whispered, “After all, we make a good team.”

Anissa nodded in agreement and said, “Sounds like a plan. I’ll meet you at seven?”

Grace nodded and said, “It’s a date.” She placed Anissa’s books in a plastic bag and handed them to her. “I’ll see you around, Anissa.”

“You too,” Anissa grinned back at her. She checked her watch and saw that she was running late. “I have to go. I’ll see you on Saturday.” She ran out of the shop and towards Garfield, her smile permanently attached to her face. Though she was confused about everything that had been going on in her life recently, she wasn’t alone. She had a hot date this weekend and a partner in fighting crime. Anissa was convinced more than ever that her powers were a blessing from god, and she intended to use them.


End file.
